Bishop James Bell, the Area Bishop for Ripon has been in the village of Kirby Hill near Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire which brought the whole community together this month in an innovative open air service celebrating village life.
Representatives took part in ‘Village Sunday’ from the local church primary school, the Scouts and Guides, local council and businesses – with each speaker introducing their favourite hymn before it was sung.
Throughout the day there were children’s activities, while both inside the church and outside in the grounds there were displays and photographs showing the wide variety of activities going on in the local community.
At the closing service Bishop James gave the Address. Vicar, the Revd. Alison Askew, who came up with the idea for the village celebration said she hoped that Village Sunday would become an Annual Event. She said it had brought the whole community together and she had received many messages of support for the idea.